Tigers almost back to full strength with Carlos Guillen off disabled list

DETROIT -- The Detroit Tigers had gone more than two weeks without their usual lineup, but Monday, second baseman Carlos Guillen came off the disabled list five days after third baseman Brandon Inge returned.

So, with right fielder Magglio Ordonez out until September with a broken right ankle, Detroit is back to about full strength.

Shortstop Jhonny Peralta was obtained after Inge was hurt and played third for awhile and takes Ordonez's spot as a middle-of-the-order hitter.

Tigers manager Jim Leyland said it "would be a blessing for sure" if Guillen stays healthy.

Guillen has been on the disabled list three times in the past two seasons. Leyland said he will rest Guillen some and occasionally play him at designated hitter in hopes it keeps him out of the trainer's room.

"It's been a tough situation for Carlos and a tough situation for us," Leyland said. "If you are always worried about him being hurt, you've got issues. Hopefully, he will provide us some spark."

Guillen batted .280 with five home runs and 30 RBIs before his past injury.

He said that after the three injuries to starters in a five-day span (July 19 to July 24), it "looked like a hurricane" went through the batting order. Detroit went 4-13 since the game in which Guillen and Ordonez were injured July 24.

"It's tough, you know," said Guillen, noting the loss of reliever Joel Zumaya on June 28 also had a negative impact. "But the season is not over. There's a challenge in baseball, and nobody knows what is going to happen."